Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)

Photo: Kaila5hravi / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Ironic Truth

December–April is the only window where ferries, scuba and beach access all line up reliably.

Demand tracks ferry reliability more than weather — the moment Makruzz/Nautika start cancelling daily in mid-May, occupancy collapses.

10%

Peak

Dec · Jan · Apr

Beach huts at Radhanagar-side resorts (Taj, Barefoot, Jalakara) sell out 90+ days out for NYE and Easter weeks.

Shoulder

Feb · Mar · Oct · Nov

Best scuba visibility window (Feb–Mar in particular) plus 20–30% softer rates — sell to certified divers and honeymooners.

Off-Peak

May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep

Most operators shut May 15 – Oct 1; even open hotels have 50%+ cancellation rates day-of due to ferry disruption.

Actually. Scuba is the differentiator — Havelock is Asia's best PADI training water from Dec–Apr (visibility 25–30 m, sea temp 28°C). Sell certification packages, not just beach days.

Weather Profile

Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)

Tropical maritime — slightly more rain than Port Blair (open Bay of Bengal exposure). SW monsoon May–Sep, NE monsoon Nov–Dec.

Daily range (high → low)

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Best comfort

Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar

Wettest stretch

Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep

Hottest stretch

Apr · May

Tip. Water visibility for scuba drops from 25–30 m (Dec–Mar) to under 10 m in the SW monsoon — book diving in the dry season only.

Arrival

Arriving IXZ

Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair (then ferry to Havelock)

Ferry from Port Blair to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)

Makruzz Gold / PearlCatamaran from Haddo Wharf, PB → Havelock jetty. 90 min crossing. Departures usually 06:30, 11:00, 14:00. ₹1,400–2,400 one-way. Book online (makruzz.com) 4–6 weeks ahead in peak season.

Nautika (Sealink)Premium catamaran, 75–90 min. Departures around 06:30, 11:15, 14:30 from Haddo Wharf. ₹1,500–2,400 one-way. Smoother in choppy NE-monsoon weather.

Green Ocean 1 & 2Mid-range catamaran, 90–120 min. ₹900–1,400 one-way. Cheapest private option; books out fast for shoulder weekends.

Government ferry (DSS)₹300–450 economy class, 2 hours. Departs Phoenix Bay jetty (not Haddo). Book at the counter 24 hours ahead — no online; locals get priority.

Havelock jetty to hotel

Beach No. 3 / Govind Nagar resorts5–10 min by auto (₹200–300) or hotel transfer

Beach No. 5 / Vijaynagar (Taj, Barefoot)15–25 min (₹400–600)

Beach No. 7 / Radhanagar area25–35 min (₹700–900) — only the high-end resorts are here; most travellers stay at #3/#5

Local movement on Havelock

Scooter rental₹500–800/day with deposit. The island is 113 km² with one main road — scooter is the universal way to get around. Valid driving licence required.

Auto rickshawPre-agree fares — no meters. Jetty ↔ Radhanagar ≈ ₹700–900 one-way.

Hotel carsMost mid-range and above offer shared transfers for sights — ₹500–1,000/seat. Cheaper than booking solo autos.

Tourist emergencyPolice 100, Ambulance 102, Fire 101, Coast Guard 1554, Havelock PHC +91 3192 282 022

Budget

Delhi NCR (metro avg) vs Havelock Island

Your money goes ≈ 1.5–1.8× Delhi for meals and stays — boat-freight premium on everything consumable further

Delhi NCR (metro avg)

Havelock Island

Local Bengali fish-curry thali

₹250

₹280

+12%

Mid-range dinner for 2 (beach restaurant)

₹1,800

₹2,800

+56%

Auto rickshaw / 5 km

₹180

₹300

+67%

Bottled water 1L

₹20

₹45

+125%

Mid-range beach hut / night

₹3,800

₹7,500

+97%

PADI Discover Scuba (single dive)

—

₹4,500–6,000

Scooter rental / day

₹600

₹700

+17%

Daily budget: ₹6,000–12,000 / pp comfortable (excl. scuba) — premium pricing on Beach #5 and #7 resorts

Local currency: INR (₹). Only 2 working ATMs on the island; carry cash from PB.

Events

Festival Radar

Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Havelock) — This year

9–10 January 2026

Island Tourism Festival (PB) — Havelock satellite night

medium

Two satellite evenings of the flagship Andaman Island Tourism Festival staged at Havelock jetty grounds — Bengali folk music, fish-curry food trail, beach bonfire and water-sports demos. Free to attend.

Resorts on Beach #3 sell out fast for these dates; #5 and #7 stay easier to book.

26 January 2026

Republic Day at Havelock Panchayat Ground

low

Local Republic Day flag-hoisting at the Havelock panchayat ground at 09:00, followed by a primary-school cultural programme. Quieter than Cellular Jail in PB but warmer in feel.

Late February 2026 (3 days, dates TBC)

Beach Festival, Radhanagar

medium

Tourism-board carnival on Beach No. 7 — sand sculpture contest, evening cultural performances at the beach amphitheatre, kayaking demos and a long-table seafood pop-up. Family-friendly.

Beach #7 has only 2 high-end resorts (Taj, Barefoot at Radhanagar) — they sell out 90+ days out for festival weekend.

23 January 2026

Subhash Mela (Netaji Landing Anniversary)

low

Marks the 1943 anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose hoisting the first Indian tricolour on liberated soil. On Havelock (renamed Swaraj Dweep in 2018), local panchayat hosts cultural performances and a lamp ceremony at the jetty.

Late July 2026

Monsoon Festival (Varsha Utsav)

low

Off-season tourism push at Havelock — open-mic music nights at beach cafés, discounted scuba refresher courses, mangrove kayaking when weather permits. Most resorts remain shut, but a handful of mid-range stays open.

Build a 48-hour buffer at PB before departure — ferries cancel 1-in-3 days in July.

Culture

India (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) Etiquette

Carry photo ID for every ferry boarding — Makruzz, Nautika and Green Ocean all match the booking name to ID before letting you board.

Follow lifeguard flag rules at Radhanagar (Beach No. 7) — red flags are non-negotiable, especially in saltwater-crocodile sighting season.

Book scuba dives only with PADI/SSI 5-star operators (Barefoot Scuba, Dive India, Ocean Tribe) — they brief on local hazards properly.

Reef-safe sunscreen only inside Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park; chemical SPF damages the live coral.

Carry cash to Havelock — only 2 ATMs on the island, and both run dry by Friday in peak season.

Don't

Do not touch, stand on or feed coral — it's a criminal offence under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Do not swim alone at Beach No. 5 (Vijaynagar) at dusk or dawn — saltwater crocodile sightings documented since 2010.

Do not litter on beaches — single-use plastic ban is enforced with ₹500–5,000 spot fines.

Do not attempt to take coral, shells or sand off the island — bag checks at Havelock jetty.

Tipping Guide

Restaurant (no service charge)5–10% or ₹100–150

Scuba instructor (per discover-dive)₹300–500

Boat hand at jetty (luggage)₹30–50 per piece

Auto rickshaw / 5 kmRound up to ₹200

Hotel housekeeping₹50 per night

Glass-bottom boat operator₹100–150 per family

Key Phrase

Namaste / Kemon achhen

Hello (Hindi) / How are you (Bengali — most Havelock settlers are East Bengali origin)

Crowd Intel

Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7)

LIVE

0/10

Quiet

~Parking and sunset-spot lawn fills 16:30 onwards in Dec–Apr; the beach itself never queues but the lifeguard rope can be congested. wait

Today's Forecast

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Best window: 06:00 – 09:00

Updated 2026-05-13T08:00:00Z

Photography

Golden Hour Today

Havelock Island (May)

05:00

17:35

Sunrise

05:00

Golden: 05:00 – 05:45

Sunset

17:35

Golden: 16:50 – 17:35

Sky quality

88/100

Nearby Photo Spots

Radhanagar Beach (Beach No. 7) sunset12 km from jetty · west-facing

Kalapathar Beach sunrise12 km from jetty · east-facing

Elephant Beach reef snorkel11 km from jetty · midday colour, not golden hour

Sound Island (Inglis) / Beach No. 5 sandbar8 km · east-facing sunrise sandbar

Havelock jetty boardwalkCentral · 0 km · west-facing harbour

Hidden Gem

GEM 72Rarity Score

Kalapathar Beach at sunrise

“Black volcanic rock and white sand meet at the eastern tip of Havelock — far emptier than Radhanagar.”

A 12 km drive from the jetty, Kalapathar is named for the dark slate-grey boulders strewn at the southern end. Faces east, so sunrise here is one of the few you can shoot without leaving Havelock for Neil.

Locals Say

“Arrive 05:15 for the 05:30 sunrise; the beach has zero shade, so be off it by 09:00. Two tea stalls open at 06:00 near the parking.”

Southeast · 12 km from Havelock jetty away

Best: 05:15–08:30

Hidden Gem

GEM 80Rarity Score

Elephant Beach via forest trail (not boat)

“Skip the ₹1,200 boat ride — there's a 30-minute jungle trek that lands at the same snorkel reef.”

Most operators sell a speedboat ride from Govind Nagar to Elephant Beach. Far fewer mention the marked forest trail starting near Radhanagar that delivers you there for free in 30 minutes through padauk and gurjan rainforest — a quieter, leech-prone but greener arrival.

Locals Say

“Start the trail by 07:00 to beat the heat and the boat-loads of snorkellers (who land at 09:30). Closed-toe shoes mandatory; the path is muddy in any season.”

Northwest · trailhead 11 km from jetty away

Best: 07:00–09:30

Hidden Gem

GEM 65Rarity Score

Sea-walking at North Bay (Helmet diving)

“Walk on the coral floor at 6 m wearing an air-fed helmet — no swimming skill needed.”

Operated under the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex license, sea walking puts you on the seabed for 15–20 minutes with continuous surface-fed air, surrounded by parrotfish and butterflyfish at North Bay's coral garden. Better than glass-bottom boats for non-swimmers and families with kids 12+.

Locals Say

“Book the 10:00 slot — the afternoon sea state at North Bay is choppier and visibility drops below 6 m. Combos with Ross Island make a full day from PB rather than Havelock.”

Boat from Phoenix Bay / North Bay, accessed via PB on a day-trip away

Best: 10:00–11:30

Hidden Gem

GEM 75Rarity Score

Govind Nagar (Beach No. 2) fishing village walk

“The Bengali settler village where every dive operator's morning kitchen runs — fresh fish at half restaurant prices.”

Walkable from the jetty, Govind Nagar is the working settlement of Havelock — fish auctions at 05:30, the Sunday haat (open-air market), and small home kitchens serving Andaman-style fish curry for ₹150 a plate. Most guests pass through it on a scooter without stopping.

Locals Say

“Sunday haat is the day to go — vegetable barges from PB land Sunday morning so produce is freshest. Carry small notes; nobody breaks ₹500.”

Central · 2 km from jetty away

Best: Sun 06:00–10:00

Flight Connectivity

India → Andamans (IXZ) → Havelock by ferry

No airport on Havelock. Fly to Port Blair (IXZ) — direct from MAA, CCU, BLR, BOM. Then catamaran ferry (Makruzz / Nautika / Green Ocean) 75–120 min.

Delhi

Mumbai

Bengaluru

Chennai

Kolkata

Port Blairfrom Delhi5h 30m (1-stop via MAA/BLR)

IndiGo

Air India

Air India Express

SpiceJet

Vistara

Akasa Air

Fare Intel

DEL → IXZ

₹18500now

Now

Wait78% confidence

Same DEL→IXZ curve as Port Blair (Havelock has no airport). Add the ferry cost separately — Makruzz/Nautika ₹1,400–2,400 each way and these book out 4–6 weeks ahead in Dec–Jan.

Safety

Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)

8/10

Emergency

General emergency112

Police (Havelock outpost)+91 3192 282 023

Ambulance102

Havelock Primary Health Centre+91 3192 282 022

Coast Guard1554

Tourist Helpline (A&N)1363

Hospital: Havelock Primary Health Centre — basic only. For anything serious, evacuation to G.B. Pant Hospital in Port Blair by ferry/Coast Guard helicopter (1–4 hours).

Embassy: No foreign consulates on the islands; nearest are in Chennai. Indian nationals only — domestic ID rules apply at jetty boarding.

Eco Impact

1300kg CO₂

Trip Carbon Impact

≈ 1.8 years of an average Indian household's electricity consumption

Breakdown

Domestic flight DEL↔IXZ (1-stop, economy)

850 kg

Catamaran ferry PB↔Havelock (return)

65 kg

Hotels (4 nights beach hut, mid-range)

75 kg

Local transport (scooter + auto)

35 kg

Food (incl. mainland-shipped produce)

90 kg

Scuba boat trips (2–3 dive days)

185 kg

Greener Alternatives

Fly direct MAA/CCU/BLR instead of 1-stop DELsaves 22%

Take Green Ocean (shared catamaran) over private speedboatsaves 10%

Pick one dive site near Havelock instead of full island-hop divessaves 8%

Stay at a Green Globe-certified resort (Barefoot at Radhanagar, Jalakara)saves 5%

Offset for ≈ ₹1,560 per traveller (Gold Standard / atmosfair, ~₹1.20 per kg CO₂)